The prior art includes various devices that can receive television signals. These television receiving devices, sometimes called set-top-boxes or television converters, may be provided to subscribers of a pay television service. A pay television service involves a pay television distributor transmitting a television signal to a group of subscribers. Examples of pay television distributors include, but are not limited to, cable and satellite television distributors.
Television converters may allow the subscribers to receive a pay television signal. Some television converters may allow the subscriber to record programs for later viewing. These television converters are often referred to as digital video recorders (DVRs). In some of these recorders, the user may set a recording timer. A recording timer permits a user to schedule a time for the DVR to record a program in the future. The user, however, must be in proximity to the DVR in order to set a recording timer.